Polysilane compounds have been produced heretofore by the reaction of dichlorosilane with metallic sodium. In these processes the silane has two R groups wherein R each represents hydrogen or hydrocarbon group, but not both R's are hydrogen at the same time. However, the method disadvantageously needs two moles of metallic sodium per mole of monomeric silane compound, and the use of metallic sodium in large amounts may not be feasible in the industrial production of polysilane compounds since, for example, sodium is readily combustible. Also, sodium tends to agglomerate during reactions. This can cause binding in agitators used to mix the reactants. The agglomerates size is difficult in size causing quality problems in the product. Moreover, the thus produced polysilane compound tends to contain residual chloride ions which adversely affect the electrochemical properties of the polymer.
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 108, 4059 (1986) proposed a method in which a phenylsilane is polymerized in the presence of an organotitanium complex to produce an (RSiH.sub.2).sub.m (RSiH).sub.n compound wherein n is about six and m is 0 or 2.
J. Organometal Chem., 55 (1973), C7-C8, described the heating of a monomeric hydrosilane compound in the presence of an organorhodium complex, (Ph.sub.3 P).sub.3 RhCl, which provides oligomers such as dimers or trimers of the hydrosilane together with a significant amount of disproportionation products. The disproportion product contaminates the desired polysilane compound and can not be readily removed from the polysilane compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,861 discloses that organocomplexes of nickel, cobalt, ruthenium, palladium and iridium are effective as a catalyst for the polymerization of a monomeric silane compounds to produce higher molecular weight polysilane compound with substantially no by-products of undesired disproportionation products.
There remains a need for improved methods of polymerizing silane and polysilane precursive material to produce polysilane compounds.